US2686551A - Beading and flanging machine - Google Patents

Description

4Aug. 17, 1954 E. LAXO 2,686,551

BEADING AND FLANGING MACHINE Filed April 20, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet l E. LAXO BEADING AND FLANGING MACHINE Aug. 17, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 20, 1951 JNVENTOR. PLA/Y0 Aug. 17, 1954 E. LAxo 2,686,551

BEADING AND FLANGING MACHINE Filed April 20, 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Allg 17, 1954 E. I Axo BEADING AND FLANGING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 20, 1951 AUTOP/VEY Patented Aug. 17, 1954 UNITED STATES TENT OFFICE READING AND FLANGING MACHINE Ed Laxe, Oakland, Calif., assigner to Continental Can Company, Enc., New York, N. Y.

4 Ciairns. l

rllhis invention relates to a machine for beading and/or flanging can bodies.

Can bodies are frequently beaded, that is they are formed with one or more peripheral grooves, to strengthen the metal. By this means it is possible to use a thinner gauge metal in forming can bodies.

A can beader should operate at high speed and should perform the beading operation uniformly and accurately. Also, it should operate so as not to damage or deform can bodies during the beading operation. It is also desirable to provide adjustment means to vary the spacing and number of beads and to adjust the machine for can bodies of different diameters and dierent heights.

Machines heretofore used for beading operations have been relatively complex in their design and operation. In beading a can body it is necessary to provide a male die or seaming tool and a female die or chuck. The male die bears against the outer surface of the can body and the female die bears against the inner surface of the can body. In prior can body beaders, the design and operation of these dies have been such that their movements are complex and their timing is difcult.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved machine which is capable of performing beading or flanging or other similar operations on can bodies or the like.

It is a further object of the invention to pron vide a machine of the character and for the purpose described which is capable of high speed, de pendable and accurate operation.

Itis further object of the invention to provide means for adjusting a can body bea-der or anger to vary the number and spacing of the beads and to adjust the machine for can bodies of different diameters and heights.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the character and for the purpose described which is simple in design and includes fewer moving parts and fewer timing diiculties than machines previously designed.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a machine which is capable of performing both beading and langing operations on can bodies.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the ensuing description and the appended claims.

One form of the invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings and is described in detail hereinafter.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary view partly in longitudinal section and partly in elevation of the machine of the invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken along the line II-II of Figure 1. Figure 2 also shows the feed screw.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view on a larger scale than that of Figure l, showing the beading and Hanging chucks and bars in detail.

Figure 4 is a section taken along the line IV-IV of Figure 5, and it shows the pivotal means for mounting the beading spindles.

Figure 5 is a view in elevation of a beading chuck and spindle as seen from the top of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view, partly in section and partly in elevation, showing the adjustable mounting means for the beading spindles.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary view, partly in section and partly in elevation, showing the means for mounting the tie rods.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to Figures 1 and 2, the machine is generally designated as lil and it includes a body feed assembly Il for feeding can bodies l2 to the machine, and an exit chute i3 for removal of can bodies after completion of the beading and anging operations. The feed assemblyl i l includes a feed screw it which is journaled in bearings i5 and is driven by means including a shaft it in timed relation to operation of the machine as a whole. The feed assembly il also includes side rails or bars, two of which are shown at il and it.

Referring more particularly to Figure l, two of the several beading and ilanging assemblies are there shown in section and are designated as 25. As will be apparent from Figure 2, there are six of the assemblies 25 disposed equi-angularly about a central drive shaft 26. Of course a great er or lesser number of assemblies may be einployed. The drive shaft 25 is journaled in bearings, one of which is shown at 2l and which are fixed to the frame 28 of the machine. rlhe shaft 25 is driven by suitable means including a gear 29.

Each of the assemblies 25 comprises identical leftand right-hand portions 25u and 25h respectively. The description, for the most part, will be with respect to the lefthand assembly 25a. A spider 3U is keyed at 3l to the shaft 26 and it will be seen that the spider can be adjusted lengthwise of the shaft for a purpose described hereinafter. When suitable adjustment has been made, the spider is clamped in adjusted position by means of a screw 32. The spider 3B is formed with arms 33 which slidably support slide inembers 34, one of which is best shown in Figure 4. As there shown, the spider arms 33 are formed with L-shaped, machined portions 35 to slidably receive the slide member 34 and gibs 3E are provided to retain the slide in place.

The slide member 34 includes a sleeve bearing 31 Within which a spindle 38 is rotatable. Bushings 39 are provided in which the spindle 32 is freely rotatable. Suitable means may be provided for positively rotating the spindle 3S, e. g. a sprocket 40 which is keyed at il to the spindle and a chain 42 extending about the perimeter' of the machine and meshing with the sprockets. The chain 42 is suitably anchored at one point (not shown) to the frame ci the machine so that rotation of the sprockets 49 about the axis oi shaft Z6 will cause rotation of the sprockets and hence of the spindles 28 about their axes. The

-sprocket 46 is keyed to the spindle for sliding movement along the length of the spindle, so that as the spindles are reciprocated in the inanner and for the purpose described hereinafter, the sprockets iii will nevertheless remain in the same position.

It Will be apparent that, as the shaft 26 and with it the spider 3G rotate, each slide member 31S Will also rotate and its spindle 38 will rotate about its own axis and about the axis of the drive shaft 26. A reciprocating motion is also irnparted to each slide member 34, and with it to its spindle 38, by means of a cam Q which abuts the outer end of the sleeve 30. A bushing is provided so that the shaft 26 is freely rotatable within the cam 45. The cam 45 is formed with an annular groove 31, and it will be seen from an inspection of the left-hand cam d5 that the cam groove 4? has a high point at lla corresponding to the advanced or innermost position of the spindle 38, and a W point at 41h corresponding to the retracted or outermost position of the spindle 38. A roller 138 rides in the cam groove 41 and. is connected, as by means of a stub shaft 49 and a nut 56, to the slide 34.

Referring more particularly to Figure 3, it will be seen that, at its inner end, each spindle 35 is xed to a chuck or female die 5I. In can body beaders of prior design the dies corresponding to the dies 5l are called spindles, but for convenience of description and to distinguish them from the spindles 38, they will be referred to hereinafter aschucks.

The right-hand chuck. 5l is formed in three parts, i. e., a cap or hanging portion 52 which is formed with an annular hanging shoulder 53, an intermediate portion 54 which is formed with annular beading grooves 55 and an end portion 5B which is also formed with one or more beading grooves 51. The several parts are clamped together and to the spindle 38 by means of a cap screw 58 which is countersunk in a recess 59. The left-hand chuck 5I is of generally similaiconstruction but its end portion 56a. is smaller and is not formed with a beading groove.

Each spider 30 also Ysupports a pair or spaced guide plates S5 which are formed with holes E6 to receive, and permit passage of, the chucks 5i,

and it also supports a pair of spaced turret plates -61 which are formed With pockets 5S. The pockets 68 are best shown in Figure 2 and, as there shown, rollers E9 are rotatably mounted at the outer edges of Veachpoclset 68. As shown in both Figures l and cap screws 15 serve to bolt the turret plates S1 to the spider 30.

The chucks or female dies El are intended to cooperate with male die or beading assembly 15 which shown in Figure 3. Referring thereto, leitand right-hand support rings 'its and lh ae provided on opposite sides of the heading and hanging station. As shown in Figures 2 and '1, tie hars or rods 11 are provided at spaced intervals about the support rings lc and 16h and are thereto as by means of split cellars 18 and cap screws 19. As shown in Figure '1, the tie rod 11 are clamped to the frame of the machine by means ci screws Si).

A suitable number oi cross bars il are provided as shown in Figure 2. As shown in Figure 3, each cross bar di extends botween and is adjustably mounted on the support rings 16d and 1Gb by means or" screw assemblies 82. Each of the screw assemblies S comprises a tubular screwv which is formed with an axial passage through which a screw $5 extends. The inner end of the screw 35 is threaded at 85 into one end of the cross bar Si. The outer or tubular screw d'5 extends 'through a passage Si formed in the lip 33 of the support 15a or 'Eto and, as will be seen, the passage 8i is of sufciently large diameter to allow a certain amount of play oi the screw B3. At its inner end the screw S3 is threaded to a Square nut Sli-a which is located so closely to the support ring that it cannot turn and will not, therefore, loosen during oper tion oi the machine. A loci; nut 2S is als-o provided.

t wil. be apparent that cross bars 2l can be adjusted with great precision. Thus, they can be moved inwardly or outwardly and they can be warped, by manipulation of the screw assemblies 8'3. Thus, if it is desired to move inwardly the righ"-hand end of the cross bar Si shown in Figure 3, it is merely necessary to screw the right-hand screw 83 inwardly. If it is to move the right-hand end ci the cross bar l outwardly, it is merely necessary to sere" the righthand screw f3 outwardly, then tighten the loci; nut The relatively large iam-.eter o'. the holes 51 allows some play to the screws hence mits warping the cross bars 8 I.

The cross bar il! is formed with grooves to receive beading oars Se and hanging bars 91. The bars Sii and 52's' are arcuate bar which lie on an are extending from a receiving station A to a delivery station B (see Figure 2). are to the cross bars Eil by means oi screws Each oi" the beading bars il@ is iornieri with a beading rib 5? and each of the ianging hais :il is formed with a beveled ianging shoulder lf. The ribs 93 are of a rounded shape calculated to form annular grooves or beads lili in a can body, in cooperation with the heading grooves 55 oi the chucks 5i, and the beveled shoulders it are of a convex shape calculated to form flanges it?. in cooperation with the shoulders of the chucks 5l.

1t will be apparent from an inspection oi Figures l and 3 that, as the drive shaft ..5 rotates the spindles 3%; and the chucks 5l will also rotate about the oi the drive shaft 2S and each of the spindles and chucks will also rotate about their own axis. lt will also be apparent that the cams d5 will cause each pair of spindles 33 and chucks 5i to reciprocate between an outermost or retracted position as shown at the lower edge or" Figure l and an innermost or advanced position as shown at the upper edgeof Figure 1 and in Figure 3. This latter operation is timed so that, as each can body is delivered at the delivery station A by the feed screw lll and is seated in a pocket 58 of the turret plates el, the spindle 33 and chucks 5i will move inwardly to the position shown in Figure 3 in which the annular grooves 55 are in registry with the beading ribs e9 and the shoulders 53 are in registry with the shoulders EEST! of the iiangmg bars. Continued rotation or" the drive shaft 2t will cause the can body to traverse the inner edges of the beading bars @tand flanging bars 9i. Meanwhile, because of frictional engagement of the can bodies with the beading bars and flanging bars the can bodies will roll along the bars 9E and 9i. It will thus be apparent that beads itil and flanges H02 will be formed on the can bodies. When each can body, after completion of the beading and anging operations, reaches the station B, a deiiector bar M13 will deect it to the exit chute i3.

As illustrated in the drawings, positive means such as the sprockets llt and a chain l2 are provided for positively rotating the spindles 38 and chucks 5i about their own axes. However, it is not necessary to provide any such means. In most cases, if not all cases, frictional engagement of the chucks Si with the can bodies will cause rolling oi the can bodies.

During the beading and flanging operations, the chucks 5i and the seaming and anging bars et and Sl' are, of course, held in operative relation to each other. In prior beaders this is accomplished by moving the beading rollers radially inwardly toward the can bodies and holding them in engagement with the can bodies during the beading operation. The chucks or beading spindles are not moved radially.

By way of contrast in the beading machine of my invention the chucks 5i are mounted for radial movement as well as for rotative movement about the central axis of the machine and reciprocating movement transversely of the beading and flanging bars. Also, the chucks 5i are pivotally mounted and are subjected to a constant yielding force which is exerted in an outward, radial direction. This type of mounting and its inode of operation and signicance will now be described.

Referring to Figures Li and 5, each sleeve ill is formed at each end with an arm l iii which is pivotally mounted on pivot pin il l. The pivot pins are clamped to bosses l i2 formed on the slide Sli. rihe slide is formed with two projecting lugs iitl and the sleeve 3l is formed with a projecting lug iid having a slot H5 to receive a screw i it. A gib il? bridges the gap between the lugs l li and is bolted thereto by means of screws l i3, and it is formed with a slot lie to receive the screw iii. A coil spring E25 is mounted on the screw l iS and is compressed between the lug i ifi and a square nut lit which prevented from turning by an angle bracket E21.

It will be apparent that each spring H25 will constantly urge its spindle 38 and chuck 5i outwardly will urge the lugs H3 against the gib i il. in this position each chuck 5i will bear rmly against a can body and will hold the can body iirmly against the bars St and Si. However, each chuck will yield inwardly whenever an extra thickness of metals is encountered, as at a side seam.

Means are also provided for adjusting the machine ior can bodies of different diameters and dierent heights. Adjustment for can bodies of a diierent diameter can be made by removing the turret plates 6l and replacing them with turret plates having pockets 68 of the proper radius (see Figures 1 and 2). Adjustment for can bodies of a different height is accomplished by the means shown in Figure 6.

Referring to Figure 6, one of the cams 15 is there shown and it is provided with an extension or hub I3@ which is formed with a flange i3d. The ilange iti is bolted to a flange 32 which has a hub 33 formed with two diametrically opposite bosses |34, only one of which is shown in Figure 6. A threaded rod i353 is provided which is Xed at one end by means of a set screw its to one of the bosses i3d, and which extends through an end casting or leg ll of the frame of the machine. Nuts l 38 and i3d are threaded onto the rod on opposite sides oi the casting itl. A smooth, unthreaded guide rod (not shown) is provided on the opposite side of the drive shaft 26.

It will be apparent that, by loosening one of the nuts i3d, i3d and turning the other nut clockwise, the rod E35, and with it the cam liti, will be moved one way or the other along the shaft 25, and that one set of spindles and chucks 5l can be adjusted to accommodate can bodies of a given height. When adjustment has been made, the other nut is tightened to lock the cam i5 in adjusted position. Further adjustments may also be required; e. g., when the cam is shifted outwardly for taller can bodies, the adjoining spider 3S must be loosened, shifted until it is again in abutting relation to the cam 55, and then clamped to the shaft 2E. Also, adjustment of the righthand chuck 5i may be necessary; e. g., it may be necessary or desirable to substitute a shorter or a longer end portion 55.

Among the advantages of the machine thus described and illustrated may be mentioned the following The beading and hanging operations are performed by tools (i. e. by the beading bars et and ilanging bars 91), which are stationary. The only moving parts are the central drive shaft 25 and the parts carried thereby including 'the spindles 38 and the chucks 5i which also have a rotary motion about their own axes and a longitudinal, reciprocating motion. The necessity of moving a beading or flanging tool into contact with a can body, then removing it, all in timed relation to a very rapidly operating machine, is completely obviated. The reciprocating and rotary motions of the chucks and spindles are relatively simple and do not present nearly as great a timing diiculty as the beading tools of prior machines. As a consequence, the machine of my invention is simple in its construction and operation and is capable of high speed, accurate and dependable performance.

The pivotal mounting and spring bias of the beading spindles and chucks are highly advantageous. As explained hereinabove, in prior headers, beading rollers are provided which are moved inwardly by positive mechanical means to accomplish the beading operation. The complications of a positive mechanical movement are avoided in the machine of the present invention, by mounting the beading spindles and chucks for outward radial movement, and holding them normally in operative position but allowing inward yielding in proportion to the thickness of metal encountered.

The machine of my invention can also be adjusted easily and quickly for varying conditions. Thus, the chucks 5l can be readily changed to provide a greater or lesser number of beads and to provide or omit a fianging operation, as desired. The beading bars 96 and hanging bars 91 :can be rapidly and accurately adjusted by the screw mountings illustrated in Figure 3. The machine is easily adjusted for can bodies oi a diierent height by the means illustrated in Figure 6, and it is equally easily adjusted for can bodies of a different diameter by substitution of turret plates 61.

Yet another advantage resides in the particular structure of the chucks 5i. Referring to Figure 3, it Will be seen that the chucks comprise identical intermediate or body portions Se, each of which has tWo seaming grooves 5%. If it is desired to form a middle bead illl on can bodies, then an end portion such as shown at 56 is fitted on the right-hand chuck.. If a middle bead is not desired, then both chucks are tted With end portions such as shown at 56a. In either case, the stroke of the chucks remains the same. This will be made apparent by an inspection of Figure 1. Referring thereto, it will be seen that when the chucks 5l are in their advanced, operating positions as shown at the top of Figure i (and in Figure 3), the two chucks will touch, or nearly so, and that the center beading groove 51 and the'center beading bar 9i coincide with the center of the can body. When retracted as shown at the bottom of Figure l, the left-hand (or short) chuck 5! clears the can body by a greater margin than the right-hand chuck El. Nevertheless, the two chucks make the same stroke, and if a small (ungrooved) end portion 56a is iitted to the right-hand chuck instead of the large (grooved) end portion 99, the stroke will remain the same. It will, therefore, be apparent that provision is made for forming or omitting a center bead, without the necessity of varying the stroke of the beading chucks and spindles.

I claimt l. A can body beader comprising a rotary turret adapted to receive can bodies and to rotate the same in sequence about the turret axis from a receiving station to a discharge station; an arcuate beading member concentric to said turret, said beading member being adapted to bead can bodies; a plurality of cooperable dies mounted for rotation about the turret axis in juxtaposition to said beading member, said dies being also mounted for reciprocation transversely to said beading member; means yieldably urging each die toward said beading member; means for positively rotating said dies; and means for reciprocating the same in timed relation to rotation thereof to hold each can body received by the turret in operative relation to said beading member as it is carried by the turret and to release the same at the discharge station.

2. A can body beader comprising a rotary turret adapted to receive can bodies and to rotate the same in sequence about the turret axis from a receiving station to a discharge station; an arcuate beading member concentric to said turret and spaced radially therefrom, said beading Y member being adapted to bead can bodies; a plurality of cooperable dies mounted for reciprocating motion transversely to said beading member and for rotation about the turret axis in `juxtaposition to said beading member, said dies being also pivotally mounted for radial movement toward said beading member and being yieldably biased toward said beading member, each of said dies being also mounted for rotation about its own axis; means for positively rotating said dies with said turret; and means for reciprocating the same in timed relation to rotation of the turret to hold each can body received by the turret in operative relation to the beading member and to release the same at the discharge station.

3. A can body beader comprising a frame; a turret rotatable therein; dies for urging can bodies carried by the turret radially and outwardly into operative relation to an arcuate beading member; an arcuate beading member arranged concentrically to said turret and spaced radially and outwardly therefrom, said beading member comprising a mounting ring carried by the frame and an arcuate beading bar carried by said ring; and screw means for radial adjustment of said ring.

4. A can body beader and flanger comprising a frame, a turret rotatable therein for rotating can bodies from a receiving station to a discharge station; a ring carried by the frame, arranged concentrically to said turret and spaced radially and outwardly therefrom; a plurality of arcuate beading bars and a plurality of arcuate Hanging bars; screw means mounting said bars on said ring for radial adjustment; a spider mounted for rotation with said turret; a plurality of pairs of die-and-chuck members carried by said spider, each said pair being arranged for reciprocating motion along and rotation about a common axis perpendicular to said beading and flanging bars, and being pivotally mounted for radial movement toward said bars; means yieldably urging each said die-and-chuck member toward said bars; means for rotating the turret and with it said spider and die-and-chuck members; cam means for reciprocating said dieand-chuck members in timed relation to rotation thereof to enter each can body received by the turret, yieldably urge it toward said beading and fianging bars, and release each can body at the discharge station; and means for rolling each can as it rotates with the turret.

eierenccs Cited in the die of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 586,661 Holden July 20, 1897 1,104,751 Wegner July 21, 1914 1,143,976 Kruse June 22, 1915 1,313,998 Kruse Aug. 26, 1919 1,365,073 Allerton Jan. 11, 1921 1,609,986 Brenzinger Dec. 7, 1926 2,421,450 Barrie June 3, 1947 2,424,581 Peters July 29, 1947

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